Football news

A football charity match between Spain’s Villarreal and the Hong Kong champions, featuring Japanese superstar Hidetoshi Nakata, flopped with a low turn-out.

The midfielder, twice Asian player of the year, appeared at the Hong Kong Stadium on Friday night to raise funds for victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

But only 7,282 fans showed up at the 40,000-capacity ground.

Nakata, 34 and now retired, played the first half for Hong Kong league champions Kitchee and the second for the Spanish team, but did not score. Villarreal won the match 3-0.

Juventus in the hunt for Wigan’s N’Zogbia

Wigan Athletic winger Charles N’Zogbia, 24, could be heading to the Italian Serie A next season as Juventus are showing keen interest to sign the France international.

Juventus had already linked with N’Zogbia in January and are renewing their interest in the off-season, reports said.

According to the Daily Mail, talks with Wigan have resumed, as Newcastle United are also trying to tempt him away.

The price-tag set by Wigan is £6 million, but probably more, as a year ago Birmingham City’s £9m offer was accepted and the player could not agree personal terms.

Pavlyuchenko keen to stay at Spurs

Roman Pavlyuchenko says he wants to stay at Tottenham despite his concerns about a lack of first-team starts under manager Harry Redknapp.

Pavlyuchenko scored 14 goals last term but was regularly overlooked throughout the cam-paign.

The Russian found form at the end of the campaign, leading the Spurs boss to confirm that he wanted the 29-year-old to stay at White Hart Lane this summer.

Contract talks that began earlier this season have so far failed to result in an extension beyond his current deal, which is due to run out in 2013.

Pavlyuchenko said: “A new contract will be discussed after the holidays – my agent will travel to London to hold talks with the leaders of Tottenham.”

Norwich City swoop for Vaughan

Norwich have signed forward James Vaughan from Everton for an undisclosed fee as boss Paul Lambert looks to build a squad capable of keeping the club in the Premier League.

The former England U-21 international has agreed a three-year deal at Carrow Road. Vaughan has had loan spells at Leicester, Derby and Crystal Palace in the past few seasons after struggling to establish himself at Goodison Park.

The 22-year-old came up through the ranks with Everton but his first-team opportunities re-mained limited and he has now become the first new addition to Lambert’s Norwich squad ahead of their return to top-flight football.

Deschamps linked with Roma move

Didier Deschamps has emerged as the latest candidate to be linked with the Roma coaching job.

The Marseille mentor, formerly of Juventus, is now ranked among the favourites as new owner Thomas De Benedetto takes over the helm of the Serie A club.

“I am considering my future. If I said that there hadn’t been contact with Roma, you’d laugh at me,” Deschamps told reporters.

“The only thing I can tell you is that I haven’t made any commitments and will wait to see how the situation evolves so I can have a clear picture before deciding on my future.”

Deschamps is still under contract with Marseille until June 2012.

Atletico fear De Gea is United-bound

Atletico Madrid are resigned to goalkeeper David de Gea joining Manchester United. Alex Ferguson claimed last week that a deal for the 20-year-old had virtually been completed.

Speculation the transfer could be announced tomorrow was quashed by De Gea, who was adamant there would be no decision on his future until next month.

However, any hopes Atletico fans may have harboured about holding on to their prized asset have been played down.

“My feeling is that he will go to United,” Atletico chief executive Gil Marin said.

“We made him an offer for six years to multiply his salary, but we have heard nothing.”

Aston Villa ponder Houllier’s future

Aston Villa will assess the results of final medical tests undergone lately by manager Gerard Houllier to determine whether he can return to his post.

Houllier was sidelined from his duties for the final month of last season after suffering a heart problem.

Villa’s medical staff will study the test results over the next few days before a decision on Houllier’s future is made, probably by Wednesday.

Sources close to Villa told PA Sport that the test results will be the “driving force” behind the next step to be taken.

It seems that Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner will have the ultimate say on whether he feels Houllier is fit enough to return to work.